1.1 Dipturus batis
This belonged to a skate. Skates are found in the east Atlantic, Arctic ocean and Mediterranean. They can reach lengths of 2.4 metres. They live at depths of between 30 and 600 metres, and typically feed on fish, crabs, lobsters and octopuses. This specimen is the jaw and tooth battery.
Above: Dipturus jaws seen from above and behind.
Above: Dipturus jaws seen from the front.
Above: Close-up of teeth in the lower jaw, seen from behind.
Note that, unlike ourselves, the upper jaw is not firmly fused to the braincase (not present here) of the sharks and rays.
Can you work out which parts are the palatopterygoquadrate and which represent Meckel’s cartilage? [hint – the palatopterygoquadrate is often described as ‘hatchet’-shaped].
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